What Makes People Leave
by AuroraJames04
Summary: Set before the summer of senior year. Libby is throwing her end of the season get together, and Jimmy and Cindy haven't seen one another in weeks. Their reunion, and other cute and angsty drama ensues. Please read, I suck at summaries.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer—I don't own Jimmy Neutron or any of the Nickelodeon characters just my own OC

A/N: This story takes place before their senior year of high school but all the characters are 18, except for Sheen who is 19. I also realize that Cindy might be slightly OOC but I wanted to try and write her a little differently. Warnings for underage drinking and possible J/C interactions.

Chapter One

By the time Jimmy Neutron arrived at what was probably the biggest party of the summer it was in full swing. Jimmy wasn't big on parties. He found the noise, the music, the drinking and quite frankly even the conversation to be extremely tedious.

He fully stood by his brilliant opinion that once you've been to **one **party you've been to them **all**. Unfortunately this party he was unable to get out of. In fact he'd gone to this party for the last three years, and now as a senior he took comfort that it would be the last time he was forced to "_make an appearance_" at Libby Folfax's end of the summer bash. He wasn't_ entirely_ cynical though. In truth there were two small advantages to his involuntary presence at these social gatherings.

The first of course, being that because Libby was his best friend's girlfriend, his best friends were naturally in attendance. While Sheen played the doting boyfriend to the party's host, Carl and Jimmy enjoyed the sights. For Carl the sights normally consisted of the Drama Club girls, or the snack table, Jimmy had a more refined taste.

There was only one solitary individual that could without a doubt captivate his entire attention.

"Hey guys!" Jimmy yelled out over the music that was cranked up so loud it appeared to be shaking the house.

"Hey Jim!" Carl called back as they leaned against the staircase banister.

"What?!" Sheen screamed, and Jimmy waved him off just as Libby came around the corner.

"Jimmy! So glad you could make it!"

"Well, I'm pretty sure I didn't have a choice."

"Either way, we are still happy you're here!" She smiled warmly at him and he couldn't help but smile back. She ushered them down the hall a little ways so it was easier to hear her.

"Why don't you guys get something to drink in the kitchen? "

"Sure" Jimmy said while Carl nodded. Jimmy doubted he would follow him; he'd just spotted last year's lead in the musical _Grease._

Jimmy checked his watched. 10:30. He only had to stay another hour, hour and a half tops.

He pushed the swinging door open to find himself face to face with the second small benefit to being forced to socialize with his peers outside of his intimate friend group.

XXXX

When Cindy Vortex walked through her best friend's front door at 9 that evening, she knew it was going to be a long night. The music was already blaring, tables were already beginning to be converted into beer pong arenas, and she had already spotted at least three people she despised. Betty Quinlan, for one.

Betty and her had reached somewhat of a truce as of late. They both had the misfortune of running in the same crowd now, and it was important to "_keep up appearances". _ Cindy of course was as intellectual in high school as she had been in grade school. She made high honor roll every semester, was Captain of the debate team and had taken her Quiz Bowl league to states last year. She was in all AP classes too. But on top of that she was a cheerleader during football season, a diver for the swim team in the winter and Co-Captain for the Volleyball team come spring. The other Co-Captain being Betty of course.

"Cindy!" Betty called out, waving ever so slightly in greeting. Cindy nodded back to her with a small smile as well.

"Hey!" She said as she approached her, Brittney and Natasha. All were fellow members of her volleyball team. 

"Have you guys seen Libby?" She asked. Betty shook her head no, as the music began to get louder.

Cindy turned to go just as Nick Dean came around the corner. He nodded at the girls in greeting before bending down to give Betty a kiss.

"Do you guys wanna play beer pong?" He asked. "At least it wont be as loud in the dining room."

Cindy shrugged and followed the others into the other room. She wasn't much of a drinker. She had been to more than a few of these kinds of parties but she never got hammered. The trick was knowing your limit. But Cindy Vortex had **never** played beer pong.

By 9:45 Cindy was buzzed. By the time 10:15 finally rolled around she'd found Libby and managed to get closer to tipsy.

"Cindy, slow down" her best friend cautioned.

"Oh I know Libs, I'm good." She reassured her.

"Ohhkay…" Libby sighed, smiling at her best friend. She looked good. Her hair was down and the ends were lightly curled where it fell in the middle of her back. She was wearing a short cotton, black strapless dress with her black converse. That was just Cindy's style and for her it worked. Her makeup was simple yet tasteful and her emerald eyes were glowing. She looked relaxed.

_I wonder how quick that will fade whenever our local teen genius finally shows up._ Libby thought. Jimmy and Cindy saw plenty of one another in school, Libby was pretty sure they had every single class together. But over this summer they hadn't see one another.

_In fact_ Libby thought, _this would be the first time in two months they've seen one another. _ Cindy had left in early June to be a girls' camp counselor for the past eight weeks. Libby herself had only just seen Cindy again the past Sunday. And she had to admit she seemed different. Looking at her best friend now she knew this was the happiest she'd seen her the past few days.

Libby heard her front door open and turned to see Jimmy come striding through her foyer. Cindy, who was distracted by a conversation going on with Britney didn't notice.

"Hey, why don't you guys go get something else to drink in the kitchen? I'll be right there." And Libby excused herself to go greet her highly anticipated guest.

XXXX

Jimmy stepped though the small kitchen and pretended to be surveying the island that was packed with various bottles of liquor, empty beer cans, and a suspicious bowl of punch.

In reality he was drawn like a moth to flame by the blonde sitting casually on a bar stool with her back towards him. Her attention was on Brittney who was telling a very loud story about a parking space at the mall and a "real angry old dude."

"Oh Hiii Jimmy" Brittney drawled out, and Jimmy finally turned towards the two girls. He watched Cindy's shoulders stiffen for a brief moment before she turned around and faced him head on.

Jimmy was immediately thrown. As he so often was, when he hadn't seen her in a while. His memories of her, even vivid ones never did her justice.

"Hey ladies. How are you?"

"We're gooood." Brittney replied and then giggled "maybe a little drunk."

"Speak for yourself" Cindy scoffed quietly. To which Jimmy grinned and addressed her specifically.

"Alright there Vortex?"

"Never better." She said sarcastically taking a swig out a red solo cup in her hand.

"And yourself?"

"Can't complain," he said as he watched her slide gracefully away from the counter and towards him.

"Here, hold this for me"

Obediently he held his hand out and she placed her drink into his palm. Her pinky grazed his slightly and he felt a pleasant **shiver** race through him.

He watched her move effortlessly across the linoleum tile to grab another cup and began filling it with clear liquid, _probably vodka_ he surmised and something that looked like Sprite.

Walking back over to him she grinned, and he felt the butterfly wings in his stomach begin to beat uncontrollably.

"Here, trade." She said simply as she placed the new cup in his hand and extracted her drink back.

"You made this for me?" He asked filled with genuine surprise.

"Yeah, can't promise it will be any good though, it's cheap booze. But it's what I'm drinking." And with that she laughed, threw her head back and downed the rest of her cup.

She stared impatiently at him. "Come on Neutron, I haven't got all day."

Realizing she wanted him to follow her lead, he did—but not without grimacing.

That earned him a genuine laugh.

"So Vortex how was your summer?"

She looked at him for a moment as though considering her answer carefully. "Have you ever been to Maine, Neutron?" Without waiting for his answer she continued on "it's beautiful, don't get me wrong. But it's so boring I was tempted to walk off the end of the dock a few times."

"Well, "he supplied "if it makes you feel any better it was pretty boring here too."

"Really?" She asked as Sheen, Libby, and Carl finally made their way into the kitchen.

"Cindy!" Carl cried, clearly a bit drunker than when Jimmy had left him.

"Hey Carl, Sheen." Cindy said and smiled at each of them. In their childhood Cindy often showed distain for both boys, almost as much as she did to Jimmy. But as they'd grown, and Libby and Sheen had become inseparable their relationship had changed.

"How are you Carl?" She asked turning her attention towards him.

"Drunk." Carl answered honestly and Jimmy and Sheen laughed while Libby snorted and Cindy smirked.

A loud commotion came from the dining room and burst into the kitchen and Jimmy inwardly groaned. Football Players. He believed these latest models were called Tyler and Shane.

"Hey, Cindy, Libby" they both said while their eyes roamed up and down their female forms.

Sheen protectively wrapped an arm around Libby's waist. Jimmy looked over at where he thought Cindy would be but was quite surprised to see she'd moved closer to him. Close enough that he could smell the jasmine wafting out of her hair, and the vanilla coming off her skin. _Not that he was complaining_. Not one bit.

The girls ignored them, and they soon moved on, stumbling into the next room to start another game of beer pong.

"Hey Libs, I know I said I'd stay until at least 11:30 but I'm wiped, I still have to unpack and school starts in four days."

"That's okay, I know girl thanks for coming." Libby responded and wrapped Cindy up in a big hug.

"Bye guys" She said sweetly to Carl and Sheen. Jimmy was about to turn and give her his own goodbye before she said quietly asked him "walk me home?"

Jimmy couldn't agree fast enough, and began nodding like a bobble head. He followed her out of the kitchen, through the den, where she grabbed an unopened bottle of wine off the end table and out the door into the summer night.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer—I don't own Jimmy Neutron or any of the Nickelodeon characters just my own OC

Chapter Two:

"_Oh Hiii Jimmy" Brittney drawled out_

_She looked up at her face to see if maybe she was just playing with her but then she heard his familiar voice. Cindy could never understand how his voice could whip her insides up into such a frenzy that she was ecstatic yet apprehensive the moment he was near. She'd turned slowly before he'd even began speaking but she was still wasn't prepared for Jimmy Neutron in the flesh. _

She hadn't been lying when she said her summer was boring. But she knew deep down, that it probably been for the best that she left Retroville for the past two months. The whole reason she agreed to be a girls' counselor in the middle of nowhere boiled down to one reason, two if you counted reasons as people. Her parents were getting divorced. Cindy knew it had been a long time coming. And she also knew it was for the best. But she knew if she stayed in her hometown for the summer she'd be forced to see the carnage, the inevitable train wreck. So she'd gotten on a bus, to roast marshmallows and teach fishing knots. Knowing full well when she came home, her mother would be gone. What Cindy didn't know yet was how she felt about that.

"Um, can I ask why you took that?" Jimmy's voice brought her flying back down to earth. They'd walked just far enough away from Libby's house now that they could have a conversation at a normal volume.

Cindy looked down at the bottle of Merlot in her hands. Shrugging, she unscrewed the top (it was cheap after all) and took a small tentative sip. _Not bad_ she thought. She silently handed it to him, and watched him take a far bigger swig than her. She felt a pleasant **shiver** race through her at the thought of his lips over where hers had just been.

"Always a competition with us huh."

He was looking at her curiously, and she noticed he had deliberately slowed his pace so they were indeed walking side by side.

"I take a sip—you take a mouthful, you know? She gestured vaguely between them.

He wordlessly handed her back the bottle.

"It doesn't have to be."

That got his interest. "What do you mean?"

Cindy looked at him thoughtfully, and then took a matching swig of the wine. Another thing Cindy had done this summer was; think. She thought about her friends, her parents, school…the fact that this was her senior year and she'd yet to have any actual fun her entire high school career. But mostly she thought about him. She thought about their constant arguments, their needless bickering and something within her snapped. She'd spent her whole life watching her parents constantly berate the other. _And that's what makes people leave._ She didn't want **him **to leave. She'd warred against her heart and her head for eight weeks, and she knew she could no longer deny the truth, she cared for him; _truly and deeply_.

"Cindy?"

She felt like she'd missed the last step on the stairs. There was something about the way her name sounded when he addressed her, in a different tone saved especially for her, for _Cindy _not for **Vortex. **

"I just mean, well, I've been thinking, I'd rather not fight with you anymore."

She was a few feet in front of him when she realized he'd stopped on the sidewalk.

"Vortex, we fight. That's...that's what we do."

"Jimmy." She said simply.

He blinked a few times, and turned his head to the side as if he were truly confused.

"I'm tired."

He looked down at his wrist. "Well it's after 11."

She stared at him. "No, I'm tired of this." She gestured now to the empty space in between them.

She watched him visibly pale. _Why is he getting upset?_

"You can't change human nature you know." He'd begun walking again, this time a little faster and as he out paced her she hurried to catch up.

Cindy felt a familiar pull of frustration tug at her. This boy could push her buttons like no one could.

Reaching out she grabbed his arm and gently pulled him back towards her. He stopped moving but hadn't turned around to acknowledge her yet.

Stealing herself she took a deep breath. "Is this what you want? To always be at each other's throats? Constantly degrading the other? Honestly, I'm sick of it. I'm sick of the negativity and most of all I'm sick of the ridiculous competitions. "

She waited another moment and when she still hadn't turned around she whispered "And I've finally accepted that you'rejust **better** than me. "

XXXX

"_Jimmy." She said simply._

_She had absolutely no idea the complete power over him she had, when she used his first name. When they were children it meant that he had better pay attention because what she had to say was usually serious or valuable. He truly respected her intellect and her opinion on a lot of scholastic subjects. But __**she**__ didn't need to know that. _

_Now, she simply referred to him by his surname long ago dropping the habit of calling him hurtful nicknames…_

_He had listened to her despite trying to shut her out. She was pushing him away. She was tired of his impact on her life. And why wouldn't she be? Why couldn't he have found a way to overcome his own competitive nature, and realize he would lose her? He was about to lose her and he thought with utter despair…"and I never even really had her." He was preparing himself for the final blow when he heard her whisper __**and I've finally accepted that you're just better than me. " **_

With that Jimmy whirled around and stared at her. "What did you just say?"

Finally gaining his attention she dropped his arm but reflectively he reached out for her hand. He couldn't let her go now. He had to say his piece. She had to at least let him have that.

She looked uncomfortably at him. "You're a genius," she stated, as it were always that simple. "There's no point in trying too—"

"So just like that, you give up? You decide to stop pushing yourself, you decide to turn your back on your potential?" He questioned, _turn your back on me_ he thought.

"My potential? Since when do you care about my potential?"

"Since always." He said quickly and without thinking.

Her face softened and she looked like she was debating something. "I just don't think I can do it any more. "

Pure panic began to fill him. He had to say something; he couldn't just let her vanish from his life. He...he was in love with her.

He was in love with her. The inconceivable fact hit him like a freight train.

"How can I…? What can I do…?" Jimmy mumbled into the night air and instinctively pulled her closer.

Her brow furrowed with concern over his duress and she lifted her other hand to his cheek. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I really thought you'd think it was better this way." Jimmy looked at her with complete shock but not before he recognized what he thought was grief and disappointment flash across her face.

"How could you ever think that, how could you ever think that Id rather not have you in my life, than any version of whatever weird thing we are at this moment?" He was babbling but he didn't care.

"Cindy, look I know we fight, but you don't have to go. Please. Don't go. Please I—" But he was cut off when she threw both her arms around him and began sobbing in his chest.

Jimmy stiffened at first and then relaxed. Her body molded perfectly against his and it made him ache. He wrapped his arms around her trembling form and hauled her to his neck. Instead of whispering nonsense into her ear, he nuzzled his face against the top of her head. Wrapping his arm up under her legs he began to carry her the rest of the way home. She gasped at first but didn't protest. When he came to the sidewalk between her house and his, he gently released her but took her hand again.

"We can continue to discuss this in the lab if you want" he tried not to plead but it bled through his voice.

She looked up at him and then at her empty house. Silently she led the way to his clubhouse.

XXXX

"Do you want something to drink?" He asked her. Quietly breaking into her reverie. She was sitting on the couch in his lab, silently admiring all that had changed in the past few years.

She wordlessly held up the bottle of Merlot still clutched in her hand, but Jimmy merely snorted. "I meant something non-alcoholic."

"Water?"

He nodded and grabbed both him and her bottle out of his mini fridge. Casually he strode over to where she was perched on the couch. He was staring expectedly at her now. She knew even though he had been the one to suggest this, she was going to have to start.

"Sorry, about all that before." She began lamely.

"Cindy?"

She looked up in those deep blue eyes and felt her insides melting even more.

"Are you okay?"

She was about to reply with her standard "I'm fine," or "yeah sure," but she knew he'd see right through that. Instead she said what she was sure he wasn't expecting but most likely knew.

"My parents got divorced." The lack of surprise confirmed her suspicion.

"I know, I am sorry." He replied and she could tell it was genuine.

"They were unhappy for a long time. "

"Is that why you went away?" He asked. He stared at the ground while he waited for her to answer. After a lengthy silence he looked over at her.

She had tucked her legs up beside him on the couch. Her back was resting against the armrest. The bottle of Merlot was now sitting on the floor, and she absently passed the water bottle from one hand to another. When he looked like he was on the verge of speaking again the words began tumbling out.

"I went away, for a few reasons. Yes, I guess that was the biggest one. And at first maybe it was the only one. But after a week or two out there, I realized I needed perspective. I thought a lot about them. About Libby, and the guys and well—you."

She had been watching him out of the corner of her eye, watching her. He'd shown no sign he was listening, but she knew he was. He was listening and at the mention of himself she knew she had his complete attention. He shifted a little and opened his mouth but again she cut him off.

"I thought about you and I, and about my parents and the fighting. The constant fighting—I meant what I said outside, I'm so tired Jimmy."

She looked up at him and was stunned to see he'd turned himself sideways against the couch, facing her head on. His blue eyes were shimmering and she felt her breath catch in her chest.

He opened his mouth once, twice and then closed it again. Cindy couldn't remember a time when she'd seen him truly lost for words. The sight was at once mesmerizing and terrifying. Finally he spoke and with it he took the breath from her lungs.

"I meant what I said, back in Libby's kitchen. These past few weeks, haven't just been boring they've been well…" he trailed off looking around his lab as if the words were scattered among his own creations. "They've been pointless. We do the same things day after day you know?" He was looking back at her now and she nodded.

"You've always been there to break up the monotonous habits of every day and when you weren't…" he trailed off again this time rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"So I'm here to curb your natural tedium." She stated feeling a little foolish.

"No! No…" He said hastily.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, I didn't realize the role you fill in my life, until you weren't around to fill it. And to be completely candid—I missed the hell out of you Vortex."

Surprise and sheer joy flooded through her as she struggled to reign in her emotions.

"You missed me?"

He took one of her hands in his and met her eye. "Of course I did. Don't get me wrong; you're a huge pain in my ass. Constantly disagreeing with me, demeaning my inventions, having a problem with every little point I make. But I think I've come to realize that, it isn't all a bad thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Well for one, you motivate me. Our rivalry has always brought out the best in me, and in you. I do believe I conceived about a third of my inventions just to spite you." With this he gestured about the room before subtlety moving closet to her.

"But I guess more importantly you keep me—grounded. If not for you who knows how much of an—"

"Egomaniac?" She interrupted, and was met with a bemused smile.

"You say you're tired of the fighting. And on that, we can agree. I would however like an opportunity to state my case before you make a life altering decision that quite bluntly effects the both of us."

He looked down at their joined hands and took a deep breath.

"From the moment we met—I knew you were a force to be reckoned with. And as kids, I'll admit I hated you for that. But for those reasons now, it couldn't be farther from the truth. Cindy… I think I'm in love with you."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer—I don't own Jimmy Neutron or any of the Nickelodeon characters just my own OC

A/N: I'm not sure if this is finished, I gave it somewhat of a finished "feel" but I may come back and add to it. Obviously create more of a plot behind whatever came next. But as it is, it's finished for now. Also in the other two chapters there was defined point of view changes, here I kind of blended everything together. Enjoy?

Chapter Three:

"_From the moment we met—I knew you were a force to be reckoned with. And as kids, I'll admit I hated you for that. But for those reasons now, it couldn't be farther from the truth. Cindy… I think I'm in love with you." _

She'd been staring so hard at their joined hands that she almost completely missed what he said. But as it slowly sank in, she realized two things. The first she was of course—completely in love with him. And the second, well he was waiting for some kind of response.

She looked up into his honest face, and saw her own fear mirrored back at her. She unclasped their hands, and ran one of hers down his cheek. He gasped lightly, while trying to maintain eye contact but he closed his eyes for a moment. With his eyes closed she felt a wave of courage flow through her as she leaned in and gently pressed her lips to his.

He immediately responded. _He kissed her back_. Running a hand up to her face he cupped her jaw and reciprocated her long over due affections. At first he was gentle and a bit hesitant. But as he grew with confidence, he cautiously snaked his tongue out through her parted lips. She couldn't fight back the moan that escaped her, and before she knew it, he had pulled her into his arms and on his lap, his lips never leaving her. He made a path from her jawline to her ear, _totally _and _completely _bombarding her senses.

When he dropped lower and began nuzzling the pulse point on her neck, she carefully drew away. He regarded her silently now, with astonishment and apprehension.

"Well, that was—more than I was expecting." She began. Now sitting back on her own couch cushion.

"Yeah," He answered, now staring at her with more curiosity than she felt like she could bear.

"You knew right?"

"Knew?" She parroted back, inwardly cringing at how out of breath she still sounded.

"That I love you."

"Yes." She answered. Surprise flowing through her. She had known—this whole time she had known… simply because she had loved him too.

"And I know." He said, "I know that you love me, even if you can't say it."

She nodded, unable to confirm or deny what they both fundamentally understood.

"It would be nice, just once though."

It was the bit of hope that seeped through, the glimpse of feared rejection that danced behind his eyes. It was the way he'd tenderly and almost habitually had gone back to lightly holding her hand between them. And it was the way she knew she never felt safer with another soul. It was these reasons and a million more than she finally managed "I do, I do love you."

With that his lips came crashing down to hers. What had started as a gentle and hesitant first kiss led to a breathless and demanding second one. He was everywhere… all at once and she felt as if he were smothering her from the inside out. She found this time;** she** was the one climbing into his lap.

He groaned softly, and she found her arms around his neck, deepening their kiss. When their need for air over powered their need for one another, they pulled apart.

He rested his forehead against hers. While looking everywhere but in her eyes he apologized.

"I had to hear it. At least once. Especially if you do plan to cease all contact with me. A hypothesis can never be proven or disproved without all the factual data."

"But you knew." She stated while gently rubbing the side of his arm, hoping he'd look at her again.

"I hoped." He admitted. "But I respect your desire for space. If that is what you truly want."

"It isn't."

"No?" He questioned, finally meeting her eye. Confusion, danced with hesitation, and it wasn't an expression she was used to seeing on him.

"No. It never was. I'm just not sure how—to I guess be your friend. With us, it's always a battle."

"But you were the one who said it didn't have to be." He reminded her.

He still hadn't let go of her. Half in his lap, and half on the sofa, he turned slightly. Propping himself more comfortably, he sank further into the upholstery. He gave her a small and experimental tug and she came willingly back with him. He curled and arm around her shoulder, and down to her waist, tucking her snugly into his side.

She sighed, and he noticed. "I won't deny that there has always been tension relating to physical attraction—"

"Get on with it." She interrupted, and he smiled into her hair.

"You're beautiful."

She blushed deeply and he continued.

"But beauty hasn't anything to do with it. It's always been your intellect. Your wit, your tongue…your mind. Cindy, your mind—"

"I like that."

"What?" He asked quizzically, she had side tracked him.

"When you call me…that. I like it."

It was his turn to blush.

"I always want too. Societal pressures influence my behavior."

"Which is what it all boils down to isn't it? Our peer reflection, our familiar influence, our best friends' opinions!"

"What if I don't care?" He bit out rhetorically.

"It's the start of our senior year in less than four days. It's our time. We can change how everyone else views us, or we can just tell them to take hike. We can do this together, or we can pretend this whole night never happened and go back to awkwardly dancing around the other as if were mere strangers."

"Is that how you see me?" She asked, not entirely sure what she was hoping to hear.

"I see you. Just you. A rival. A friend. An ally. A competitor. A warrior. A threat." He drew in a deep breath and made sure he was looking her directly in the eye. "An equal."

He continued on, as he took in her speechless expression.

"It's up to us. It's not up to them. So what do we say?"

"We say yes." She answered with finality. Knowing not what lay ahead for their future, but that he'd beside her, he wasn't people—and he wouldn't leave.


End file.
